"A billion? Our stock is climbing fast, and someone still dares to bet against it? Let them watch their money burn." With his jaw set tight, Larry forced the words out, each one edged with irritation.
Stepping closer, Charlee spoke in a calm and comforting tone. "Try not to get worked up. Anyone reckless enough to short Nova Tech right now is practically throwing their money away. It's not worth your energy to dwell on someone that careless."
"I would really like to see who made such a foolish move."
Before the moment could pass, a composed female voice broke through the noise. "That was me. I shorted Nova Tech with a billion dollars."
At once, the entire crowd turned toward Lainey.
She stood there with quiet confidence, and the smile on her lips only deepened. "Do you have an issue with that?"
Caught off guard, Larry struggled to process what had just happened. Rather than stepping in to defend Nova Tech's reputation, Lainey had done the opposite and openly placed a massive short position just to strike back at him.
"Have you completely lost your senses? You actually spent a billion to bet against Nova Tech just to spite me? Do you even understand how much you stand to lose?"
Standing nearby, Charlee allowed a trace of satisfaction to show, though her tone remained gentle. "If you don't know anything about stocks, why gamble so recklessly? Larry's stock only goes up. It can't possibly drop. At this rate, you'll lose the shirt off your back."
As soon as her words settled, quiet laughter began to spread throughout the room.
What Charlee expected was to see Lainey falter under that pressure, but she found herself disappointed instead.
Without showing the slightest concern, Lainey pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen with steady composure.
"I appreciate your concern. Since that is the case, I will increase my short position on Nova Tech by another billion."
A collective gasp swept across the crowd.
"She just doubled it to two billion against Nova Tech? Has she gone mad? If the stock moves ten times against her, she will lose two hundred billion!"
A deeper shadow fell across Larry's face, and a harsh laugh slipped from his lips. "Lainey, if you insist on throwing money away by betting against Nova Tech, then I will happily accept it. Give it a few days, and the market will leave you buried under tens of billions in losses."
Despite his words, Lainey remained calm, and nothing in her expression shifted.
At that moment, a low and steady male voice cut through the tension. "What makes you so certain she will be the one drowning in losses?"
With a chilling tone, Bryan stepped in. "The AI you claim to have is nothing but a front. Most of what you showcased today barely works beyond a basic prototype. On what grounds do you believe the stock can keep rising like this?"
For years, tension had existed between Larry and Bryan, and it was clear neither would back down. Anger edged Larry's reply. "I allowed you to attend this launch, not to repeatedly undermine me. Just because Wilson Group lacks this level of technology does not give you the right to spread false accusations about Miller Group."
Without hesitation, Bryan stood up, and the authority he carried made the entire room fall silent.
With a single motion, he placed a file onto the table and spoke with quiet certainty. "The evidence exposing Nova Tech's deception is already online. You can deny it all you want, but it will not change anything."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Larry's assistant shouted in alarm, "Mr. Miller! We have a problem! Nova Tech's stock is crashing!"
Quickly, Charlee opened the top headlines on her phone, and the leading story confirmed the AI fraud scandal surrounding Nova Tech.
With urgency, she held the screen out to Larry, whose complexion had already drained of color. "Larry, look at this—"
A slight tremor ran through his hand, yet he refused to give in. " Those are all lies! Just jealousy from the Wilson Group. The market is just overreacting to fake news. Everyone stay calm. It's nothing. Just a little fake news."
While uncertainty spread through the room and no one could decide who to believe, Lainey's voice broke through, steady and composed. "Just a fake story? Then explain this. What about the allegations involving Gavin Edwards, Nova Tech's lead developer, and the claim that he raped his adopted sister while still being married?"
